Is This the Right Treatment Center for Me?

When my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, the first thing that entered my mind was, "Where will he go for treatment?" He is elderly and lives in a small town. I didn’t want to have to travel over an hour every time he needs to have a treatment.

Doing my homework on our options

I am an over-thinker, so I knew he needed a second opinion, not that his doctor wasn’t trustworthy; we (I) just wanted to be sure. My father is on Medicare and Medicaid. How much would they pay? Will he have to stay in the hospital? How long will this be for? How much out of pocket payment will we need?

I did do my homework on several facilities in the surrounding areas. I looked at reviews on the facility and on the staff. You don’t want your loved ones going to somewhere where they are not going to be treated with the best care.

Advocating for my father

Getting a cancer diagnosis is bad enough by itself, so you want a doctor that has a good bedside manner. I interviewed 2 doctors; yes 2 doctors and 2 facilities. I wanted to see how they would interact with my father, but more importantly, how did he feel about them? I also had questions; could I stay with him if he was uncomfortable? I wanted them to understand that he was fragile, scared, and had never been left alone before.

My father is a very small man who eats very little, so I wanted to make sure that his meals are nutritional when he did eat. I wanted them to understand that he needed to keep up his strength and how important nutrition is for the body to help it heal. I’m sure I didn’t need to tell a nursing staff this, but it was more on how they were going to take what I was saying. Were they going to get mad or understand where I was coming from?

Ask the right questions

Have you checked out your oncologist? What are their office hours? Do they have emergency care? Will this person be the same one you will see after you go home? Getting lab work is very important so you will want to know whether they do lab work in their office? Your loved one may need chemo or radiation treatment; are these sites in their office? These things are very important, and you need to find a suitable center. Never chose a place that you haven’t investigated. Be watchful and knowledgeable, your health depends on it.

Feel confident about your cancer center

I just want to leave you with these words. When I had to leave my father alone for a few hours, I knew he was in excellent care and confident that he was well cared for. Do your homework and make an already bad diagnosis work for you. You are already going through a lot of emotions; don’t make the mistake of going into a house of horrors. If you have selected the right center, you will be happy on check out day. At this point, you will know that you made an astute choice and a brilliant decision.

There are plenty of treatment centers around. You might even have a hard time finding the right one, depending on where you live. Remember that these places want your business and have a team of doctors who will provide you with a treatment plan. When you pick out your treatment center you will be comfortable and be relax knowing that you did your homework. Get connected with a center now and get the process going. What are you waiting for?